Sabbath: The Message of Hebrews
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon,
Read for This Week’s Study:
Memory Text: “This is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1, NKJV).
Jewish document written a few decades after Hebrews, around 100 A.D., contains a prayer: “All this I have spoken before you, O Lord, because you have said that it was for us that you created this world. … And now, O Lord, behold, these nations, which are reputed as nothing, domineer over us and devour us. But we your people, whom you have called your first-born, only begotten, zealous for you, and most dear, have been given into their hands.” — James H. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1, [New York: Hendrickson Publishers, 1983], p. 536.
The readers of Hebrews probably felt something similar. If they were God’s children, why were they going through such suffering?
Thus, Paul wrote Hebrews to strengthen the faith of the believers amid their trials. He reminded them (and us) that the promises of God will be fulfilled through Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of the Father, and who will soon take us home. In the meantime, Jesus mediates the Father’s blessings to us. So, we need to hold fast to our faith until the end.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 8.
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Just a preliminary thought for the week:
There are two paradigm shifts in the context of the book of Hebrews. The first is the replacement of the temple and sacrificial system with the ministry of Jesus. Secondly, there is the notion that salvation was not about the nation but about the individual and their relationship with God.
In conjunction with what Maurice has suggested above regarding paradigm shifts, I would like to propose two further points (there are more, but I will just offer 2 at this point) to ponder in relation to the book of Hebrews.
1) Jesus is the abundantly-superior and dramaticaly-enlarging fulfilment of the Old Testament revelations. And by fulfilment, I don't mean that He was merely what the Old Testament pointed forward to - as per our modern, more limited conception of what fulfilment means. But, true to the original languages notion of fulfilment, He filled exceedingly-fully what the Old Testament fathers/prophets - even the best of them - were only partially able to comprehend and portray. This 'exceedingly above-and-beyond' what the Old Testament was able to foreshadow is reflected at the outset of Hebrews by contrasting the essentially 'indirect' and partial revelation process during the Old Testament with the abundantly superior direct and vastly more complete revelation via the single person Jesus - the exact one-in-the-same nature and character representation of God (Hebrews 1:1-3). It is also reflected in the metaphor comparing a shadow/silhouette that is significantly inferior in its capacity to portray the clarity and definition that the viewing the actual substance provides (Hebrews 10:1). As such, the revelation of Jesus is the reference point for properly understanding what the Old Testament was doing its best to try and foreshadow.
2) Hebrews, parallel with the gospel of John, notes that Jesus was not only humanity's Saviour-Redeemer, but also its Creator. If you consider that Jesus along with God and the Holy Spirit 'live to give' because that is their individual and collective core nature and character, you may be able to see that 'living to give' is at its core mediatorial/intercessory in nature. If you can see this, it dramatically enlarges the notion of Jesus mediatorial-intercessory ministry that incorporates Creation-sustaining as well as Salvation-Redeeming. I believe this is why Hebrews 7:25 can rightfully say that Jesus 'priesthood' (with 'priest' being the limited shadow-silhouette metaphor of a much broader permanent 'role') is an "always" role - always has, always does and always will mediate/intercede to provide abundant life (John 10:10) to His creation.
There is quite some truth to the saying "you can't see the forrest/woods/bush for the trees". As we move into Hebrews I would therefore invite you to consider that Hebrews may be dramatically broader in what it is reflecting than has been traditionally seen. If you only read the sections listed by the lesson each week, you will miss this. But if you step back and carefully read and reflect upon the progression of thought across the book and do so several times, then, as the backdrop to each week's study, you are more likely to see it's true, much, much wider perspective.
Just to add on those two points from Maurice and Phil, as we noted last week, the early New Testament Christians read Hebrews as a letter from the apostle Paul. Strictly speaking, however, the writer of the book of Hebrews appears to be anonymous. What we safely can infer about authorship from the epistle itself is that the author knew Timothy (Hebrews. 13:23).
There are couple of reasons why the author chose to remain anonymous, the main reason was that his message is more important than his identity. At the same time, we would be remiss if we failed to acknowledge that Ellen G. White attests to Pauline authorship of the book of Hebrews. Moving forward in faith in that divine disclosure, we shall refer throughout the lessons with confidence to the author as Paul.
The main Themes in this week's lesson emphasizes on:
1. Christ Our King
2. Christ Our Mediator (High Priest)
1. We have an uncommon and unique High Priest-He ministers in the heavenly sanctuary. This makes Him different from every/any high priest.
2. Christ ministry offers us boldness to approach the the throne filled with grace and mercy.
3. Christ is our servant minister
"Christ ministry offers us boldness to approach the the throne filled with grace and mercy."
This is what the God of Jeremiah also told us. I may add.
Their nobles shall be from among them, And their governor shall come from their midst; Then I will cause him to draw near, And he shall approach Me; For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord . ‘You shall be My people, And I will be your God.’ ”
Jeremiah 30:21,22.